1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for fishing and more particularly to fishing rod holders.
2. Background Art
Fishing dates back at least 10,000 years, as man has sought fish for sustenance and sport from at least that time. Often using a fishing rod, or in many instances attempting to maximize his harvest of fish, for food, or sport, or just to lie back and relax, until a fish or fish bite, man has attempted to devise means for holding his fishing rod or rods, while waiting for the excitement to begin.
There is a need for a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, fishing rod holder for quick and easy access, installation, and removal of at least one and a plurality of fishing rods thereon and therefrom, respectively, and requiring no assembly or minimal assembly. The fishing rod holder should be inexpensive, attractive, quick and easy to install and remove therefrom a surface, being removably attachable therefrom, and compactly storable, the fishing rod holder and/or portions of the fishing rod holder preferably being configurated and of unitary construction. The fishing rod holder should be adapted to removably hold at least one fishing rod thereon having the fishing rod angularly disposed at an attitude, and adapted to removably hold a plurality of fishing rods angularly offset one from the other, to minimize the chances of lines from each of the fishing rods entangling one another. The fishing rod holder should allow for pivotally removably mounting the fishing rods thereon, with reels of the fishing rods forward of the fishing rod holder, to allow for quick access, installation, and removal of the fishing rods to and from the fishing rod holder. The fishing rod holder should be capable of being removably engaged thereinto the ground, having improved anchoring means for engaging the fishing rod holder thereinto the ground by foot pressure, without the foot sliding off the anchor, or removably mounted thereonto other surfaces, such as of a dock, railing, or boat.
Different fish rod holder and supports have heretofore been known. However, none of the fishing rod holder or supports adequately satisfies these aforementioned needs.
Fishing rod holders for holding a plurality of fishing rods have been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,544 (Barnett) discloses a dual rod and reel holder having a support member adapted for upright installation in the ground or on a boat, and further incorporating angularly adjustable arm means for mounting fishing rods and defining a selected attitude of use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,427 (Coutcher) discloses a three member fishing rod holder including a ground engaging leg and two pivotally connected arms with fishing rod supporting fingers. The leg and arm is configurated for folding into a compact storage position with leg and arms in a side-by-side relationship.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,877 (Colson) discloses a fishing rod holder for holding a plurality of fishing rods. The fishing rod holder has a rigid planar base coupled to a tubular receptacle; a coupling mechanism for securing the base to an external recipient object; a rigid planar bar positioned above the base; an elongated support rod having one end removably coupled with the receptacle of the base and another end pivotally coupled to the bar; and a plurality of spaced and parallel aligned rod holders, with each rod holder formed of an elongated rigid piece of wire, having an anterior section with a generally v-shaped seat for holding a portion of a fishing rod, a posterior section with a loop for receiving an end of a fishing rod, and a central section extended therebetween and coupled to the bar.
Japanese Patent No. JP 6-105638 (Mootoo Senda) discloses a fishing rod holder capable of holding a plurality of fishing rods, comprising a base having two front legs, two rear legs, and links mutually and rotatably connecting each. The base is equipped with a front rod holder between the two front legs, with a rear rod holder between the two rear legs and with a water bag at the rear link.
UK Patent No. GB 2,247,142 A (Keightley) discloses a fishing rod support comprising a support mounted on a xe2x80x9cbank stick,xe2x80x9d the support comprising two or more members, each of the members having a surface having sides, which incline upwardly from a central section of the surface, the surface of one such member located above and offset from another surface of the member, or from another surface of another one of the members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,099 (Bogar, Jr.) discloses a plurality of vertically extending tubular rod holders connected to a plurality of horizontally spaced supports in which the top of each rod holder includes a first downwardly and inwardly tapered slot and a second downwardly extending slot diametrically opposed to the first slot for receiving and holding a fishing reel. One or more enclosures extend vertically between and are supported from two of the horizontally spaced supports and are shaped to receive the blade of a knife.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,473 (Larukum) discloses a fishing rod holder having vertical tubes into which handles of fishing rods may be inserted. Each of the vertical tubes has a slot extending from the top of the vertical tube downward for receiving a post of a fishing reel and a hole. A single horizontal restraining bar passes therethrough each of the vertical tubes above the reel posts of the fishing rods mounted therein to prevent removal of the fishing rods. The restraining bar also has a hole, which a padlock may be mounted therethrough, to prevent removal of the restraining bar and thereby the fishing rods.
U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D221,278 (Wright) and D359,793 (Medlin, Jr. et al) each show fishing rod holders for holding a plurality of fishing rods. U.S. Pat. No. D221,278 (Wright) shows a fishing rod pole anchor having three tubes and an anchor having a plurality of tines, each of the tubes for holding a fishing pole; and U.S. Pat. No. D359,793 (Medlin, Jr. et al) shows a fishing rod holder having a pivotable support for two fishing rods hinged to a support shaft.
Fishing rod holders for holding one fishing rod have been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,157 (Duncan) discloses a fishing pole holder formed of a single length of rod, including a shaft portion, a portion extending laterally away from the shaft portion and a hook portion of a specified shape, terminating in a short upturned end portion that forms an acute angle with the outer end portion of the hook. The handle of a fishing pole may be supported upon the hook portion as a fulcrum, with the upper end of the fishing pole handle being wedged against the upturned end portion of the pole holder, and the lower end of the handle being wedged by the weight of the upper end of the fishing pole, against the bend that connects the shaft portion with the laterally extending portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,390 (Nielson) discloses fishing pole, comprising a unitary structure formed of stiff configurated wire, including a horizontal arm having at its rear end a hook, which is fitted over the rear end of the fishing pole handle, the forward end of the arm having a cradle upon which a forward portion of the fishing pole handle rests, a forward portion of the arm being adjacent to a downwardly extending leg, the lower end of the leg having means for insertion either into the ground or means for insertion into a bracket mounted upon a boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,774 (Terrill) discloses a surface engaging fishing pole holder formed of a surface engaging stake, the lower end of which includes an auger adapted to penetrate ice or the ground. A fishing pole support section forms a crank arm, which has an offset handle and a gripping sleeve. The holder may be screwed into ice or the ground surface, by rotating the handle and thereby the auger portion, to secure the same and provide a holder for a fishing pole or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,446 (Williams) discloses a fishing rod support having a pair of tines connected by a horizontal member adapted for purchase of the foot to set the tines into the soil. A spaced apart pair of upwardly and downwardly opening rod cradles allows the rod to be positioned within the cradles to clear the reel for unobstructed use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,072 (Comeau) discloses a fishing rod holder, which is capable of being placed in the sand or attached to a bracket, which is accommodated on a bumper of a vehicle. The fishing rod holder comprises a longitudinal tubular member having a reel-accommodating slot, the longitudinal tubular member being secured to a spiked member having an anchor plate. The fishing rod holder can be placed in the sand or ground or within the bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,412 (Davis) shows a fishing rod holder having an open tubular receiving support mounted on a support pipe, the support pipe being removably attached to a lower pipe for mounting in the ground or in a receiving clamp, which may be affixed to an object. The open tubular receiving support is disposed at an attitude, such that when the fishing rod is mounted in the open tubular receiving support, the forward end of the fishing rod is higher than the fishing rod handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,515,426 (Rodgers) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,530,265 (Phalen) each show fishing rod holders, each of which have a tiltable fishing rod support for mounting a fishing rod therein, the fishing rod support being pivotally affixed to a support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,008 (Lake) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,909 (Miller et al) show fishing rod holders, each having tubular receiving portions for receiving a handle of a fishing rod and support means for the tubular receiving portion, which may be affixed to an object.
U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D187,276 (Poglein), D202,432 (Turiace), D221,279 (Erickson), and D332,821 (Padilla) each show fishing rod holders for holding one fishing rod. U.S. Pat. No. D187,276 (Poglein) shows a configurated tubular fishing rod holder; U.S. Pat. No. D202,432 (Turiace) shows a fishing rod holding sand spike having a spring for inserting a fishing rod therein; U.S. Pat. No. D221,279 (Erickson) shows a foldable fishing pole holder having a fork for holding a fishing pole; U.S. Pat. No. D332,821 (Padilla) shows a fishing pole holder having a spring for holding a fishing pole.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, fishing rod holder for quick and easy access, installation, and removal of at least one and a plurality of fishing rods thereon and therefrom, respectively, and requiring no assembly or minimal assembly. The fishing rod holder should be inexpensive, attractive, quick and easy to install and remove therefrom a surface, being removably attachable therefrom, and compactly storable, the fishing rod holder and/or portions of the fishing rod holder preferably being configurated and of unitary construction. The fishing rod holder should be adapted to removably hold at least one fishing rod thereon having the fishing rod angularly disposed at an attitude, and adapted to removably hold a plurality of fishing rods angularly offset one from the other, to minimize the chances of lines from each of the fishing rods entangling one another. The fishing rod holder should allow for pivotally removably mounting the fishing rods thereon, with reels of the fishing rods forward of the fishing rod holder, to allow for quick access, installation, and removal of the fishing rods to and from the fishing rod holder. The fishing rod holder should be capable of being removably engaged thereinto the ground, having improved anchoring means for engaging the fishing rod holder thereinto the ground by foot pressure, without the foot sliding off the anchor, or removably mounted thereonto other surfaces, such as of a dock, railing, or boat.
The present invention is directed to a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, fishing rod holder capable of allowing quick and easy access, installation, and removal of at least one and a plurality of fishing rods thereon and therefrom, respectively, and requiring no assembly or minimal assembly. The fishing rod holder is inexpensive, attractive, quick and easy to install and remove therefrom a surface, being removably attachable therefrom, and compactly storable. The fishing rod holder and/or portions of the fishing rod holder may be configurated and of unitary construction. The fishing rod holder is capable of removably holding at least one fishing rod thereon having the fishing rod angularly disposed at an attitude, and is adapted to removably hold a plurality of fishing rods angularly offset one from the other, to minimize the chances of lines from each of the fishing rods entangling one another. The fishing rod holder is adapted to allow for the fishing rods to be pivotally removably mounted thereon, with reels of the fishing rods forward of the fishing rod holder, to allow for quick access, installation, and removal of the fishing rods to and from the fishing rod holder. The fishing rod holder is capable of being removably engaged thereinto the ground, having improved anchoring means for engaging the fishing rod holder thereinto the ground by foot pressure, without the foot sliding off the anchor, or removably mounted thereonto other surfaces, such as of a dock, railing, or boat. The fishing rod holder may be of metal, such as aluminum, brass, copper, steel, thermoplastics, thermosetting polymers, rubber, wood, or other suitable material or combination thereof.
A fishing rod holder having features of the present invention comprises: a frame adapted to support and pivotally hold at least one fishing rod, the frame having an anteriorly disposed side and a posteriorly disposed side, each opposing the other, and opposing sides, the anteriorly disposed side having a plurality of anterior fishing rod accommodations, and the posteriorly disposed side having a plurality of corresponding inverted posterior fishing rod accommodations; a support member for supporting the frame; at least one supplementary strut therebetween the frame and the support member; and mounting means adapted to mount the fishing rod holder thereonto a surface.